Railcar cover plate

ABSTRACT

A metal cover plate includes a first section and a second section. The first section includes a first end and an outer perimeter. The outer perimeter includes a termination end. The termination end is generally opposite the first end. The first section defines a hole. The second section includes a first end and an outer perimeter. The second section is coupled at the first end of the second section to the first end of the first section and extends from the first end of the first section in a direction generally opposite the termination end of the first section. The metal cover plate is welded to a railcar along the outer perimeter of the first section and the outer perimeter of the second section.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/861,558 entitled “RAILCAR COVER PLATE,” filed Jun. 14, 2019, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to railroad cars and more specifically to reinforcement cover plates welded on to railroad cars.

BACKGROUND

Railroad cars experience a variety of different stresses during operation. To prevent these stresses from damaging the railroad cars, reinforcement cover plates are often added to the structure of the cars.

SUMMARY

Railroad cars experience a variety of different stresses during operation. To prevent these stresses from damaging the railroad cars, reinforcement cover plates are often added to the structure of the cars. For example, a reinforcement plate may be welded to the flange of a beam within the railroad car, or a reinforcement plate may be welded on to a second plate of the railroad car. Inevitably, each reinforcement plate will terminate at some point along the beam or the second plate onto which it is welded. Any stress that is carried by the cover plate must then exit the cover plate at this termination point. As a result, cover plates experience a large concentration of stress at their termination points, which can often result in fatigue cracking at the toe of the weld along the termination point, where the stress exits the cover plate into the beam or the second plate onto which the cover plate is welded. Consequently, railroad car manufacturers often thicken the plates onto which reinforcement plates are attached, to reduce the operational stress levels in these plates and thereby help avoid fatigue cracking. However, thickening the plates onto which cover plates are attached adds significant weight to the railroad cars, which may reduce their fuel efficiency and load capacity.

This disclosure contemplates an unconventional reinforcing cover plate that addresses one or more of the above issues. In certain embodiments, a hole is placed within a tapered end of the cover plate. When the cover plate is welded on to a beam or other plate and stress is applied to the plate, a portion of the stress is unable to pass beyond the hole and into the end of the cover plate. Consequently, this stress does not exit the plate through the portion of the weld along the termination point of the cover plate. Rather, it is forced to exit the cover plate along the remainder of the weld (e.g., along the taper of the cover plate). In this manner, certain embodiments reduce the stress per unit length that exits through the weld, thereby preventing fatigue cracking of the weld. Certain embodiments of the railcar cover plate are described below.

According to one embodiment, a metal cover plate includes a first section and a second section. The first section includes a first end and an outer perimeter. The outer perimeter includes a termination end. The termination end is generally opposite the first end. The first section defines a hole. The second section includes a first end and an outer perimeter. The second section is coupled at the first end of the second section to the first end of the first section and extends from the first end of the first section in a direction generally opposite the termination end of the first section. The metal cover plate is welded to a railcar along the outer perimeter of the first section and the outer perimeter of the second section.

According to another embodiment, a method includes forming a metal cover plate. The metal cover plate includes a first section and a second section. The first section includes a first end and an outer perimeter. The outer perimeter includes a termination end. The termination end is generally opposite the first end. The first section defines a hole. The second section includes a first end and an outer perimeter. The second section is coupled at the first end of the second section to the first end of the first section and extends from the first end of the first section in a direction generally opposite the termination end of the first section. The method also includes welding the metal cover plate to a railcar along the outer perimeter of the first section and the outer perimeter of the second section.

According to a further embodiment, a railcar includes a side sill and a metal cover plate. The metal cover plate includes a first section and a second section. The first section includes a first end and an outer perimeter. The outer perimeter includes a termination end. The termination end is generally opposite the first end. The first section defines a hole. The second section includes a first end and an outer perimeter. The second section is coupled at the first end of the second section to the first end of the first section and extends from the first end of the first section in a direction generally opposite the termination end of the first section. The metal cover plate is welded to the side sill along the outer perimeter of the first section and the outer perimeter of the second section.

Certain embodiments provide one or more technical advantages. For example, an embodiment prevents fatigue cracking in welds around reinforcement plates. As another example, an embodiment improves the fatigue life of a welded cover plate termination by at least a factor of two. As a further example, an embodiment improves the fuel efficiency of railroad cars and/or the load capacity of railroad cars by reducing the weight of reinforcement plates used on the railroad cars. Certain embodiments may include none, some, or all of the above technical advantages. One or more other technical advantages may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the figures, descriptions, and claims included herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates several example cover plate termination geometries, along with the locations of fatigue cracks that often develop in the welds around the termination;

FIG. 2 illustrates a prior art stress diffuser that may help to extend the fatigue life of vertical cover plates;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate example embodiments of the improved cover plate;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the use of the improved cover plate on a railroad well car; and

FIG. 5 presents an example method for constructing the improved cover plate and attaching it to a rail car.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure and its advantages are best understood by referring to FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.

Railroad cars experience a variety of different stresses during operation. To prevent these stresses from damaging the railroad cars, reinforcement plates are often added to the structure of the cars. For example, a reinforcement plate may be welded to the flange of a beam within the railroad car, or a reinforcement plate may be welded on to a second plate of the railroad car. Inevitably, each reinforcement plate will terminate at some point along the beam or the second plate onto which it is welded. Any stress that is carried by the cover plate must then exit the cover plate at this termination point. As a result, cover plates experience a large concentration of stress at their termination points, which can often result in fatigue cracking at the toe of the weld along the termination point, where the stress exits the cover plate. Consequently, manufacturers often thicken the reinforcement plates that they use on railroad cars, to reduce the operational stress levels in the plates and thereby help avoid fatigue cracking. However, thickening the reinforcement plates adds significant weight to the railroad cars, which may reduce their fuel efficiency and load capacity.

This disclosure contemplates an unconventional reinforcing cover plate that addresses one or more of the above issues. In certain embodiments, a hole is placed within a tapered end of the cover plate. When the cover plate is welded on to a beam or other plate and stress is applied to the plate, a portion of the stress is unable to pass beyond the hole and into the end of the cover plate. Consequently, this stress does not exit the plate through the portion of the weld along the termination point of the cover plate. Rather, it is forced to exit the cover plate along the remainder of the weld, along the taper of the cover plate. In this manner, certain embodiments reduce the stress per unit length that exits through the weld, thereby preventing fatigue cracking of the weld. The improved cover plate will be described in more detail using FIGS. 1 through 5.

FIG. 1 presents several examples of cover plate termination geometries. FIG. 1A illustrates a conventional rectangular shaped cover plate 105A that terminates at a straight edge 110A of cover plate 105A along beam 115. Cover plate 105A is connected to beam 115 through weld 120A. When a stress is applied to cover plate 105A, it travels along the length of cover plate 105A resulting in a concentration of stress at cover plate termination 110A. As this stress concentration exits cover plate 105A it travels through weld 120A and into beam 115. The repeated stresses experienced by weld 120A may result in fatigue cracking of weld 120A. As can be seen in FIG. 1A, for a rectangular cover plate 105A, such fatigue cracking typically occurs at location 125A along termination edge 110A, where weld 120A typically experiences the highest stress concentrations.

Numerous attempts have been made to construct cover plates that, when welded to a beam or other metal surface, do not experience fatigue cracks in the welds. For example, FIGS. 1B through 1D illustrate the use of a variety of different termination geometries, chosen in the hopes of preventing fatigue cracks from developing at the termination locations of the cover plates. For example, FIG. 1B illustrates the use of a concave termination 110B for cover plate 105B, FIG. 1C illustrates the use of a convex termination 110C for cover plate 105C, and FIG. 1D illustrates the use of a tapered termination 110D for cover plate 105D. Such termination geometries have had limited success in preventing the development of fatigue cracks. While different termination geometries may change the locations at which the majority of the stress travelling through cover plates 105 exits cover plates 105 and into beams 115, each termination geometry nevertheless exhibits an abrupt termination point 110 where a large concentration of stress exits cover plate 105 and travels into beam 115, through weld 120. Consequently, no matter the shape of weld 120, if all of the stress remains present in cover plate 105 up until the termination location 110, fatigue cracks 125 will likely develop in weld 120, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1D.

In order to prevent fatigue cracks from developing in cover plate 105, it may be desirable to remove a portion of the stress traveling through cover plate 105, before this stress reaches termination location 110 and travels through termination weld 120. On the other hand, in order for cover plates 105 to achieve their desired purpose of reinforcing portions of a railcar structure that are subject to high levels of stress, it is desirable to maintain the full level of stress along a majority of the length of cover plates 105 up until a location quite near termination location 110.

FIGS. 2A through 2C present a prior art device that has been successfully used to improve the fatigue life of vertical cover plates but that is inapplicable to horizontal cover plates such as the ones that are typically used as reinforcement plates on railcars. FIG. 2A illustrates a typical vertical cover plate 130. Vertical cover plates 130 are designed such that the height of the cover plate is larger than the width of the cover plate, when the cover plate is welded to a piece of metal 135 along a bottom edge of the cover plate having dimensions given by the length and the width of the cover plate, and the height of the cover plate is measured from the surface of the piece of metal to the top edge of the cover plate.

FIGS. 2B and 2C present illustrations of a stress diffuser 140 that has been shown to improve the fatigue life of vertical cover plates 130, as described in Dimitrakis, Stamati D., Improving the Fatigue Life of Weldments with Longitudinal Attachments, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1999). Stress diffuser 140 is placed over an end of vertical cover plate 130 and welded to both the plate and the metal surface 130 on which vertical cover plate 130 is welded. Stress diffuser 140 is a piece of metal that contains a first void 155 that is configured to engage an end of vertical cover plate 130 along a portion of the length of vertical cover plate 130, and a second void 150 that is configured to be positioned beside an end of vertical cover plate 130 when vertical cover plate 130 is engaged by stress diffuser 140. When stress diffuser 140 is welded to vertical cover plate 130 and surface 135, stress that would otherwise travel through the weld at the end of the vertical cover plate 130 instead travels through stress diffuser 140, exiting stress diffuser 140 over the weld around the outer circumference of stress diffuser 140. The outer circumference of stress diffuser 140 is longer than the length of the end of vertical cover plate 130. As a result, the stress per unit length acting on the weld around the circumference of stress diffuser 140 is less than the stress per unit length that would otherwise exit through a weld at the end of vertical cover plate 130. Accordingly, stress diffuser 140 improves the fatigue life of vertical cover plate 130.

While such devices work well for vertically connected cover plates, they are not suitable for the terminations of flat plates connected to the surface of a beam or other piece of metal, where the heights of the plates are significantly smaller than the width of the plates. Given that such horizontal plates are commonly used to provide reinforcement for the structural beams and other structural components of railcars, this disclosure contemplates a new method of improving the fatigue life of horizontal cover plates, such as those typically used in the railroad industry.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate example embodiments of the improved cover plate. This disclosure contemplates reducing the stress present in a cover plate at the termination of the cover plate by inserting a hole into the cover plate, near the termination location. Because of the presence of this hole, a portion of the stress in the cover plate is unable to pass beyond the hole and into the termination of the cover plate. This portion of stress is consequently forced to exit the cover plate over the remainder of the weld around the cover plate, rather than simply the portion of the weld at the termination point. This results in reduced stress per unit length exiting the termination point of the cover plate through the termination weld, improving the fatigue life of the termination weld.

FIG. 3A illustrates a cover plate 200A with a rounded termination 224. To simplify the discussion of cover plate 200A, this disclosure refers to a first section 202 of cover plate 200A and a second section 204 of cover plate 200A. However, this is not meant to suggest that cover plate 200A is necessarily composed of two or more separate pieces of metal. Rather, this disclosure contemplates that in certain embodiments cover plate 200A is a continuous piece of metal. This disclosure further contemplates that cover plate 200A may be formed from any suitable metal that may be welded to a beam or other piece of metal and provide reinforcement to the piece of metal. For example, in certain embodiments, cover plate 200A is formed out of steel.

Cover plate 200A includes first section 202, second section 204, and hole 206, located near termination end 224 of first section 202. This disclosure contemplates that second section 204 may be of any suitable geometry. For example, in certain embodiments, and as illustrated in FIG. 3A, second section 204 may be defined by first end 214, second end 216, first edge 210, and second edge 212. In such embodiments, first end 214 is generally located opposite second end 216, such that the distance between first end 214 and second end 216 defines the length of second section 204. Similarly, first edge 210 may be generally located opposite second edge 212, such that the distance between first edge 210 and second edge 212 defines the width of first section 202. First edge 210 connects a top of first end 214 to a top of second end 216. Second edge 212 connects a bottom of first end 214 to a bottom of second end 216, such that first end 214, second end 216, first edge 210, and second edge 212 define the perimeter of second section 204. While first end 214, second end 216, first edge 210, and second edge 212 are depicted in FIG. 3A as straight lines, this disclosure contemplates that any type of curve may be used for first end 214, second end 216, first edge 210, and second edge 212. In certain embodiments, second end 216 may be a termination end of cover plate 200A, such that an outer perimeter of cover plate 200A includes first edge 210, second edge 212, and second end 216. In such embodiments, second section 204 may be welded to a beam or piece of metal along first edge 210, second edge 212, and second end 216. Additionally, in such embodiments, second section 204 may include a hole 206 located near termination end 216. In some embodiments, second end 216 may be located within cover plate 200A, with an additional section of cover plate 200A (not depicted in FIG. 3A) coupled to second section 204 at second end 216 of second section 204, such that the outer perimeter of cover plate 200A includes first edge 210 and second edge 212, but not second end 216. This additional section may be of any suitable geometry and may include any number of termination ends, with a hole 206 located near each such termination end. In such embodiments, second section 204 may be welded to a beam or piece of metal along first edge 210 and second edge 212.

First section 202 includes first end 218, termination end 224, third edge 220, fourth edge 222, and hole 206. First section 202 is coupled to first end 214 of second section 204 at first end 218. First end 218 may be generally located opposite termination end 224, such that the distance between first end 218 and termination end 224 defines the length of first section 202. Similarly, third edge 220 may be generally located opposite fourth edge 222, such that the distance between third edge 220 and fourth edge 222 defines the width of first section 202. Third edge 220 connects a top of first end 218 to a top of termination end 224. Fourth edge 222 connects a bottom of first end 218 to a bottom end of termination end 224, such that first end 218, termination end 224, third edge 220, and fourth edge 222 define the perimeter of first section 202. While first end 218, third edge 220, and fourth edge 222 are depicted in FIG. 3A as straight lines, and termination end 224 is depicted in FIG. 3A as rounded, this disclosure contemplates that any type of curve may be used for first end 218, third edge 220, fourth edge 222, and termination end 224. First section 202 may be welded to a beam or piece of metal along third edge 220, fourth edge 222, and termination end 224.

Hole 206 is located inside first section 202 such that hole 206 is surrounded by the metal of first section 202 at all points along the perimeter 208 of hole 206. Hole 206 is positioned within first section 202 such that the center of hole 206 is located closer to termination end 224 than to first end 218. While hole 206 is depicted in FIG. 3A as circular in shape, this disclosure contemplates hole 206 being any curved shape. Hole 206 may be formed in first section 202 using any suitable method. For example, in certain embodiments, hole 206 may be removed from first section 202 after cover plate 200A has been formed. For example, a piece of metal may be removed from first section 202 to form hole 206. In other embodiments, a mold that includes a region for hole 206 may be used to form cover plate 200A, such that when liquid metal is poured into the mold, hole 206 is created.

Cover plate 200A is welded to a beam or piece of metal along the outer perimeter of cover plate 200A, to provide reinforcement to the beam or piece of metal. Here, the outer perimeter of cover plate 200A includes termination end 224, first edge 210, second edge 212, third edge 220, and fourth edge 222. In certain embodiments, the outer perimeter of cover plate 200A may also include second end 216. In embodiments in which second section 204 is coupled to an additional section at second end 216, the outer perimeter of cover plate 200A includes termination end 224, first edge 210, second edge 212, third edge 220, fourth edge 222, and the outer perimeter of the additional section. Cover plate 200A is not welded to the beam or piece of metal along inner perimeter 208 of hole 206. In this manner, in certain embodiments, when stress is applied to cover plate 200A, a portion of the stress is unable to travel through hole 206 and into portions of first section 202 beyond hole 206. Thus, this portion of stress does not exit cover plate 200A through the weld along termination edge 224. Instead, in such embodiments, this portion of stress is forced to exit cover plate 200A through the welds along other portions of cover plate 200A. For example, the portion of stress may exit cover plate 200A through the weld along third edge 220 and fourth edge 222. Decreasing the total amount of stress exiting cover plate 200A through the weld along termination end 224 improves the fatigue life of cover plate 200A, reducing the likelihood that fatigue cracks will develop in the weld along termination end 224.

In certain embodiments, a flexible seal is provided along the perimeter 208 of hole 206 to seal the space between cover plate 200A and the beam or piece of metal onto which it is welded from the elements, while nevertheless ensuring that the perimeter 208 of hole 206 is not rigidly connected to the beam or piece of metal onto which cover plate 200A is welded. For example, in certain embodiments, caulking is applied to the perimeter 208 of hole 206.

This disclosure contemplates that the size, position, and shape of hole 206 may be chosen to maximize the portion of stress which is unable to pass through hole 206 into termination end 224. For example, manufacturing cover plate 200A may include forming a variety of cover plates, differing only in the size, position, and/or shape of hole 206, applying stress to the cover plates, measuring the stress at the termination end of the cover plates, and choosing the size, position, and shape of hole 206 that results in the least amount of stress at termination end 224.

While FIG. 3A illustrates cover plate 200A with a single hole 206 located near termination end 224 of cover plate 200A, this disclosure contemplates that in certain embodiments (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3C as plate 200C) in which second end 216 is a termination end, cover plate 200A may also include a second hole 206, located near second end 216 of second section 204, to decrease the amount of stress travelling through the weld along second end 216 and into the beam or piece of metal onto which cover plate 200A is welded. Additionally, in certain embodiments in which cover plate 200A includes an additional section coupled to second section 204 at second end 216, cover plate 200A may include one or more holes in the additional section, with each hole located near a termination end in the additional section.

FIG. 3B illustrates a particular embodiment of the cover plate described above, in the discussion of FIG. 3A, in which third edge 220 and fourth edge 222 are slanted towards one another, such that first section 202 of cover plate 200A contains a taper. FIG. 3B presents this embodiment as cover plate 200B. Cover plate 200B illustrates second section 204 of cover plate 200A as composed of two different sections-third section 226 and fourth section 228. Third section 226 includes first end 218, third edge 220, fourth edge 222, and second end 230. Third section 226 is coupled to first end 214 of second section 204 at first end 218 of third section 226. First end 218 is generally locate opposite second end 230, such that the distance between first end 218 and second end 230 defines the length of third section 226. Third edge 220 is generally located opposite fourth edge 222. However, third edge 220 and fourth edge 222 are slanted towards one another such that the distance between third edge 220 and fourth edge 222 at first end 218 is greater than the distance between third edge 220 and fourth edge 222 at second end 230. In this manner, third edge 220 and fourth edge 222 generally define the outer edges of a tapered section 226.

Fourth section 228 includes third end 232, and rounded termination end 224. Fourth section 228 is coupled to second end 230 of third section 226 along third end 232. In certain embodiments, hole 206 is contained entirely within third section 226. In other embodiments, hole 206 is contained entirely within fourth section 228. In further embodiments, a portion 234 of hole 206 is contained within fourth section 228, while the remainder of hole 206 is contained within third section 226.

In certain embodiments, cover plate 200B is welded to a beam or other piece of metal along first edge 210, second edge 212, third edge 220, fourth edge 222, and rounded termination end 224. In embodiments in which second end 216 is a termination end, cover plate 200B is additionally welded to the beam or other piece of metal along second end 216. In embodiments in which second section 204 is coupled to an additional section along second end 216 of second section 204, cover plate 200B is additionally welded to the beam or other piece of metal along the outer perimeter of the additional section. In certain such embodiments, when stress is applied to cover plate 200B, a portion of the stress is unable to travel through hole 206 and into fourth section 228, beyond hole 206. Thus, this portion of stress does not exit cover plate 200B through the weld along termination edge 224. Instead, in such embodiments, this portion of the stress is forced to exit cover plate 200B through the welds along the tapered edges 220 and 222 of third section 226. In this manner, certain embodiments of cover plate 200B improve the fatigue life of the weld along termination end 224.

FIGS. 4A and 4B present illustrations of the use of an improved cover plate 335 on a railroad well car. FIG. 4A is an isometric view of a portion of a well car 300 containing reinforcement plate 335, while FIG. 4B is a top down view of reinforcement plate 335 on well car 300. Well car 300 contains side sills 305, consisting of a vertical part 310 and a horizontal part 315, as well as end assembly 320. Reinforcement plates such as reinforcement plate 335 are conventionally welded onto the horizontal part 315 of side sill 305 to transmit loads from a coupler of end assembly 320 into side sill 305. Reinforcement plates 335 typically extend down the horizontal part 315 of side sill 305 to provide adequate attachment area between the reinforcement plates 335 and the side sill 305. As can be seen in FIG. 4B, holes 325 may be inserted into reinforcement plate 335 near the termination ends of reinforcement plate 335 to extend the fatigue life of the weld around the termination end of reinforcement plate 335. Additionally, a flexible seal may be provided around the perimeter of holes 325 to seal the space between side sill 315 and reinforcement plate 335 from the elements. For example, caulking may be applied around the circumferences of holes 325.

By inserting holes 325 into reinforcement plate 335, in certain embodiments, a thinner side sill plate 315 may be used in well car 300 than in conventional well cars, in which railroad car manufacturers often thicken the plates onto which reinforcement plates are attached to reduce the operation stress levels in the plates and thereby help avoid fatigue cracking. Adding holes 325 reduces the amount of stress that exits reinforcement plate 335 into side sill 315 at the termination locations of the plate, thereby improving the fatigue life of the termination location weld without adding additional weight to the well car structure. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, improved cover plates 335 reduce the empty weight of railcars and/or increase the fuel efficiency of the cars.

FIG. 5 presents an example method 500 for constructing cover plate 335 and attaching it to rail car 300. In step 505, a cover plate is formed from a piece of metal. The cover plate includes one or more termination ends. In step 510, holes 325 are inserted into the cover plate, with a hole 325 inserted near each termination end. In certain embodiments, holes 325 are inserted into cover plate 335 by removing pieces of metal from cover plate 335. In some embodiments, holes 325 are formed in cover plate 335 when cover plate 335 is formed. For example, a mold that includes regions that define each hole 325 may be used to form cover plate 335, such that when liquid metal is poured into the mold, the holes are created. In step 515, cover plate 335 is welded to rail car 300 along the outer perimeter of cover plate 335. In certain embodiments, cover plate 335 is welded to rail car 300 along a portion of the outer perimeter of the cover plate. In some embodiments, cover plate 335 is welded to rail car 300 along the entire perimeter of the cover plate. In step 520, flexible seals may be added around the perimeter of holes 325. For example, caulking may be applied between cover plate 335 and rail car 300 around the perimeter of holes 325.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to method 500 depicted in FIG. 5. Method 500 may include more, fewer, or other steps. For example, steps may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order. The steps of method 500 may be performed by one or more rail line employees, one or more pieces of automated machinery, and/or a combination of employees and machinery.

Although the present disclosure includes several embodiments, a myriad of changes, variations, alterations, transformations, and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes, variations, alterations, transformations, and modifications as falling within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a railcar; and a metal cover plate welded to the railcar, the metal cover plate comprising: a first section comprising a first end and an outer perimeter, the outer perimeter comprising a termination end, wherein: the termination end is generally opposite the first end; and the first section defines a hole; and a second section comprising a first end and an outer perimeter, the second section is coupled at the first end of the second section to the first end of the first section and extends from the first end of the first section in a direction generally opposite the termination end of the first section, the metal cover plate is welded to the railcar along the outer perimeter of the first section and the outer perimeter of the second section.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein a perimeter of the hole is curved in shape.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the hole is circular in shape.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first section comprises: a third section comprising the first end, a second end, and a taper, the second end generally opposite the first end, the taper between the first end and the second end; and a fourth section comprising a third end and the termination end, the fourth section coupled at the third end of the forth section to the second end of the third section and extending from the second end of the third section in a direction generally opposite the first end of the third section, the termination end comprising a rounded termination.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein a portion of the hole is located within the fourth section.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the metal cover plate is less than a length measured from the first end of the first section to the termination end of the first section.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein a flexible seal is provided around the perimeter of the hole.
 8. A method comprising: forming a metal cover plate comprising: a first section comprising a first end and an outer perimeter, the outer perimeter comprising a termination end, wherein: the termination end is generally opposite the first end; and the first section defines a hole; and a second section comprising a first end and an outer perimeter, the second section is coupled at the first end of the second section to the first end of the first section and extends from the first end of the first section in a direction generally opposite the termination end of the first section; and welding the metal cover plate to a railcar along the outer perimeter of the first section and the outer perimeter of the second section.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein a perimeter of the hole is curved in shape.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the hole is circular in shape.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first section comprises: a third section comprising the first end, a second end, and a taper, the second end generally opposite the first end, the taper between the first end and the second end; and a fourth section comprising a third end and the termination end, the fourth section coupled at the third end of the forth section to the second end of the third section and extending from the second end of the third section in a direction generally opposite the first end of the third section, the termination end comprising a rounded termination.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein a portion of the hole is located within the fourth section.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein a thickness of the metal cover plate is less than a length measured from the first end of the first section to the termination end of the first section.
 14. The method of claim 8, further comprising applying caulking around the perimeter of the hole.
 15. A railcar comprising: a side sill; and a metal cover plate comprising: a first section comprising a first end and an outer perimeter, the outer perimeter comprising a termination end, wherein: the termination end is generally opposite the first end; and the first section defines a hole; and a second section comprising a first end and an outer perimeter, the second section is coupled at the first end of the second section to the first end of the first section and extends from the first end of the first section in a direction generally opposite the termination end of the first section, the metal cover plate is welded to the side sill along the outer perimeter of the first section and the outer perimeter of the second section.
 16. The railcar of claim 15, wherein a perimeter of the hole is curved in shape.
 17. The railcar of claim 15, wherein the first section comprises: a third section comprising the first end, a second end, and a taper, the second end generally opposite the first end, the taper between the first end and the second end; and a fourth section comprising a third end and the termination end, the fourth section coupled at the third end of the forth section to the second end of the third section and extending from the second end of the third section in a direction generally opposite the first end of the third section, the termination end comprising a rounded termination.
 18. The railcar of claim 17, wherein a portion of the hole is located within the fourth section.
 19. The railcar of claim 15, wherein a thickness of the metal cover plate is less than a length measured from the first end of the first section to the termination end of the first section.
 20. The railcar of claim 15, wherein a flexible seal is provided around the perimeter of the hole. 